Sunday, 22 March 2015

Not much time for commentary this week I'm afraid, but just about enough time to share these pictures of the signage on the former William Whiteley's Depository, which sits alongside the railway line heading south from Kensington Olympia station. It was a bit of a challenge to find a good angle, especially with the position of the sun, but hopefully these pictures show what once must have been a majestic sight, running around at least two sides of this mighty building.

ALL GOODS FULL INSURED STRONG ROOMS

William Whiteley's Depository, Kensington Olympia, London

WILLIAM WHITELEY'S FURNITURE

William Whiteley's Depository, Kensington Olympia, London

REMOVALS TO OR FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD

William Whiteley's Depository, Kensington Olympia, London

REMOVALS TO OR FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD

WILLIAM WHITELEY'S FURNITURE DEPOSITORIES

The railway line that can be seen here is the London Overground line and also the District line between Earl's Court and Kensington Olympia.

Saturday, 14 March 2015

This is the third and final installment of my Urban Wander in and around Shoreditch. Starting with lunch ... I had a fantastic curry and my wife ordered from the brilliant Ethiopian stall in the first picture.

Indoor food market, Shoreditch

Indoor food market, Shoreditch

We didn't get chance to go in here for coffee but it's on the list for next time.

Coffee shop, Shoreditch, London

I can only partially quite make out what the writing above this shop says

....TOMS 18

Ghost sign, Shoreditch, London

I should have taken more notice about what this was as unfortunately I have no idea. Hopefully one of my observant readers will know.

Art installation(?), Shoreditch, London

The chimney of the Truman Brewery can be seen from various angles in and around Shoreditch. This is probably my favourite one.

Ghost sign, Truman Brewery, Shoreditch, London

Ghost sign, Truman Brewery, Shoreditch, London

Not quite sure was this building is/was, but clearly seen better days.

Abandonment and decay, Shoreditch, London

This is one of those buildings I've walked past plenty of times but only noticed the old signage this time.

WELLS & COMPANY COMMERCIAL WORKS

Ghost sign, Shoreditch, London

This next ghost sign is one of the more frequently photographed but until this wander I had no idea where it was, and in fact I only spotted it by chance as having realised my wife was no longer with me I turned to wait for her and spotted it.

BLOOMS PIANOS

PERFECTION

Ghost sign, Shoreditch, London

I was instantly reminded of The Prisoner when I saw this along the Regent's Canal near De Beavouir town.

I am not a number, I am a free man

Further along the canal, with the big white ball having stopped me from escaping, we came across this rather impressive urban topiary on a canal side apartment block.

Urban topiary, Regent's Canal, London

And for the final picture of the wander, another ghost sign as we concluded our walk in Islington.

Friday, 6 March 2015

Having been inundated with work over the past couple of weeks, and now having contracted man-flu, this second installment is later than planned. Purely by chronological serendipity this post seems to feature mainly street art, ghost signs and other signs.

Street art, Shoreditch, London

Street art, Shoreditch, London

Street art, Shoreditch, London

Street art, Shoreditch, London

Street art, Shoreditch, London

When I first saw this sign I was a bit unsure whether it was old, new or renovated. However a quick bit of internet research revealed that it was in fact the sign for C.H.N. Katz, the string and paper bag wholesalers.

About Me

Having grown up in one of the London suburbs, I'm interested in John Betjeman, J.G.Ballard, London suburbs, Avengerland (Borehamwood area where the classic 1960's and 1970's TV shows were filmed). More recently I have become interested in Psychogeography and Urban, Suburban and Coastal Wandering, which is where most of the subject matter in this blog now comes from.

I'm also an avid music listener and collector since the late 1970's. I like all sorts of genres ... punk, post-punk, new wave, industrial, ambient, krautrock, alternative, indie, goth ... naturally I have quite a few items I no longer need in physical format, so here's a link to my records and CDs for sale

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